Connecter for railway rails



June 24, 1930.

J. v. PALMER CONNECTER FOR RAILWAY RAILS Filed Jam 50. 1950 Patented June 24, 1930 I {U ITED STAT -s JOHN v- PALMER, or riirrsnonerr,PENNSYL ANIA, Assrenon' or ownerran ro between the fish plates and the chair. Bolts An Y I. riniuvrn xr PENNSYLVANIA earner.

: .o'onnnornn roe RAILWAY Rents i 5 Application filed January 30, 1930. Serial No. 424524;

lmnonn-rmnnro JAMES M. MAGEE, Born or rrr'rssnaen,

-. a Ther general object which I have in view of the abutments bear downwardly onthe 33 is. the provision of new .andimproved means forconnecting together theadjacent ends of-rails W 'Forthis piuposeI-"have invented a connecter' comprising a pair of fish plates adapted to -fit against the oppositewebs of the rails and bridging the joint, said fish plates being providedwith abutments on their outer fates, a. chair extending beneath the rails at the joint and supportingitherall ends-from below, said chair having portions extending upwardly at either side :of .the joint, and "wedge blocks driven horizontally extend through registering holes in the rails, the fish plates, the wedge blocks andthe chairs.

Wedge pins are preferably driven down between the wedge blocks and the chairs. 7

Other novel features of construction, and

perspective showing a rail joint with my improved connecter applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 22-in Fig. 1. V

I Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the wedge blocks. I

Fig. 41 is an outer face view of one of the fish plates.

Fig. 5 is an end View of the chair.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the wedge pins.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 represent the two rails whose ends are to be joined. 3 represents the fish plates which bridgethe joint and fitagainst the web of the rails at either side. I

Adjacent to their ends the fish plates 3 areprovided with one or more bolt holes 4 through which extend the'bolts 5 which also engage the usual bolt holes in the rails.

The fish plates are provided intermediate of their endsand on their outer faces with abutments 6 which are horizontally elongated and bridge the joint. The lower faces in its shoulder 13.

base flanges of the rails. I I '7 represents a chair which may be'and preferably is a casting having an int.erine-' diate or bridge portion 8 which extends transversely of the rails and supports the latter from below adjacent to't'he joint.

The chair. 7 is also provided with up- 1 wardly extending portions 9 at each sidelot the rails and also bridging the joint, said portions each being recessed to provide a groove 10. preferably of rectangular crosssectional shape and an inwardly-overhanging shoulder 11. a

12 represents a wedge block which is also preferably a cast-ingrand which is of their:

proper cross-sectional shape to be driven lengthwise between thepjfish plate and its abutment at the inner side and the-upwardly extending portion 8 of the chair 7 at the outside andto niatewith the surfaces of the same; Thus each oft-he wedge blocksl2 is" provided with a shoulder 13 to mate with the groove of the chair, with a groove 14; to

mate with the shoulder 11 of the chair, with r .a rectangular bottom flange 15 to be inter-[ posed between the, edge ofthe rail flanges and the vertical inner wall of the chair, and with an outwardly extending lip 16. which overhangs the .top of the chair. j

The wedge block 12 is preferablyslightly tapered towards its entry end .and the surfaces which it engages and with whichit mates preferably converge slightly, so that when the block 12 is driven longitudinally into place the elements of the connecter and the rails Will be wedged solidly.- Q i The chair, thev wedge blocks and theafish' plates are provided with bolt holes 17 which register with each other and withthe usual 7 end holes in the rails so that bolts 18 may be inserted and their nuts 19-tightened up to hold the elements rigidly together.

Each of the wedge blocks is provided with; a notch 20 in its top lip '16 whichis' vertically alinedlwith .a vertical groove 21 hen the wedge block is'in place the notch 20 and theqgroove '21 register with a vertical groove 22 the shoulder 11 of the chair andwi-th a hole 23 in thebridgeS of the chair. A g-bowed, wedge spike Qt-of spring steel is driven down into the notch and the registering grooves, thus further tightening the parts together and preventing accidental 'looseness. 7

It is apparent that my improved connectcr maybe readily and conveniently applied without change in the arrangement or character of the rails or track, and that it will properly and 'efiiciently support andconnect the rail ends.

The doublewedging action of the parts insures a'tightr and firm connection.

To remove'the oonnecter the spring spikes 24: are withdrawn, the bolts 18 removed and the wedge blocks 12 driven out. The assembly, of the connecter is likewise simple V and convenient; I

While for the sake of illustration I have shown my improved connecter in connection with rails of the T-type used in steam railway practice, it is apparent that my invention may be likewise used in connection with girder rails and other types and shapes. r V l What I- desire to claim is 1 A rail conneoter comprising a pair of fish platesfitting against the webs of the rails at either side and bridging the joint, a chair having a bridge portion extending beneath the railsiat the joint to support the rails from beneath and portions extending upwardly at each side, wedge members driven between the fish plates and the chair,

and bolts extending through therails', the

fish plates and the chair. 7

" 2.- A rail connecter comprising a pair of fish plates fitting against the webs of the rails at either side and'bridging the joint, abutments on the outer faces of the fish plates, a chair having abridge portion extending beneath the rails at the joint to support the rails from beneath and portions extending upwardly at either side,

. rails and'in'the fish plates,

and.chair.

abutments on the outer. faces of the fish V plates,;a chair having a bridge portion exprovided with horizontal grooves and overhanging shoulders, wedge blocks driven between the fish plates andthe upwardly ex surfacesarranged to mate with the surfaces of the fish plates and thechair, and clamping bolts extending through holes in the wedge blocks 3. A rail connecter comprisinga pair of fishv plates fitting against the webs of the rails. at either side and bridging the joint,

tending beneath the rails at the joint to support the rails from beneath and portions extending upwardly at either side, said upwardly extending portions being 7 provided with a horizontal groove and an overhanging shoulder,"wedge blocks driven between the fish plates and the upwardly extending portions of the chair and having 7 i surfaces arranged to mate with the surfaces of the fish. plates and thechair, and a bowed spring spike driven between each of the V wedge blocks and the chair.

w 4:. A rail connecter comprising apair of" fish plates fitting against the webs of the extending portions of the chair andhaving surfaces arranged to mate with the surfaces of the fish plates and the chair, a bowed spring spike driven between each 1 of the wedge blocks and the chair, and clamping bolts extending through registering holes in the rails and in the fish pl'ates, wedge V Signed at Pittsburgh, P3,, this27th day blocks and chair;

of January, 1930. V V I JOHN V, PALMER;

'said upwardly extending portions being I 1 tending portions ofthe chair and having 7 

